Book Review: The Pact by Karina Halle

SYNOPSIS:

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounds like fun and games but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.
Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line.

The pact is about to change everything.

MY REVIEW:

The Pact is my last read of 2014. And oh my lord, it was a total bang! Fireworks cannot even begin to explain what I felt while reading this novel. Pyrotechnics could be close but does not cover everything just yet. I think if we measure this book by means of bangs and explosions, it’s a freaking world war! The Pact is an intelligently written read that has managed to keep me glued on a seat reading without rest until I reached the very end. It’s a mixture of quick wit, heart warming romance, steamy scenes, and a writing prose capable of gutting you deep until you’re totally buried in the story. I mean, what the hell, my mom was calling me out to eat and it was on her 7^th call that I responded. Nothing kept me away from the call of food. Not until I started reading this book. 

            I’ve read too many best-friends-turned lovers story. I’m not even going to hide the fact that I was doubtful that a story having this storyline could work out into a really great book. I pictured it as predictable, light, and just like an ordinary bestfriends-turned-lovers book. But my, was I wrong. Really, really wrong. 

Stephanie and Linden, bestfriends since they met, agreed on a pact that when they reach age thirty without a serious relationship, they will marry each other. One would think a plot sparked by a simple and clichéd “pinky-swear” will not blossom into some clawing, gut-wrenching, heart-warming, panty-melting read. Surprisingly, Karina Halle managed to enflame this storyline with her consuming prose and unexpected twists. Her writing voice became one of my favourites when I read LiE and LiS. The Pact is a lighter read but still contained the Karina Halle trademark of in-depth emotional roller coaster and constant heart-quenching, humorous, and remarkable dialogues. Written in a first person point-of-view, Miss Halle held the power to transport the characters’ feelings into a reader’s own, successfully activating all possible emotions and making each scene sincerely felt. The story was not forced. It played out nicely into a beautiful pirouette of contradicting emotions. And my, so much #feels!

Another thing that I totally love about this book is its characters. They weren’t the usual kinds of emotionally-driven ones. They were smart and actually did everything opposite to what I expected of them. For the third time (this is only the third Karina Halle book that I’ve read), I developed a complete love for Karina Halle’s characters. Stephanie was a smart and sophisticated woman who wanted to go serious with life by establishing her own shop. Linden was hot Scottish pilot guised as a manwhore with a noble heart. I love the dynamics of Steph and Linden’s relationship. It wasn’t an instant fireworks-ish spark at the start but the connection was there. Of course I knew that they will end up together but I was really curious on how Karina Halle will escalate that connection into something more. I doubted that it will work out. But my, I am still appalled by how she effortlessly made a mild platonic relationship transform into a rocketing steamy and passionate love. Now I’m just plain convinced she can write anything and make every storyline work. 

The beauty of The Pact lies between its deceiving light-read facade and its seemingly uncomplicated plotline. It kept me anticipating and expecting, grounded me in a serene, easy-going pace, and before I know it, bam! I was crying, my chest hurt, my head was in total shambles, and I just felt like a time bomb of emotions unexpectedly exploded inside me. I came from an “Oh, this is nice” to a “WHAT THE F*** DID SHE JUST DO TO ME?!” When you think the main plot is too clichéd and the story is unpredictable, read this book and be blown away. I was. I feel clawed from inside and repaired. I don’t think I can immediately proceed to a next book now. #TotalBookHangover

Book Review: Sweet Addiction Duet by J. Daniels

Book 1: Sweet Addiction

SYNOPSIS:

Wedding hookups never amount to anything.

Those who partake in this wicked little activity know the rules. Get in. Get laid. Get out. There's no expectation of a relationship. It is what it is.

Dylan Sparks knows the rules. She’s familiar with the protocol. And she engages in the best sex of her life with a complete stranger at her ex-boyfriend’s wedding.

Reese Carroll doesn’t care about the rules. He wants more than just one night with Dylan.

And Dylan finds him too addicting to pass up.

Sweet Addiction is the story of one woman’s struggle to keep things casual, and one man’s desire to never let her go.

Book 2: Sweet Possession

SYNOPSIS:

A sassy, in-your-face baker. A panty-stealing, dirty-talking accountant. And a bathroom quickie that changed their lives forever.

Wedding hook-ups never amount to anything.

Unless that hook-up knocks you on your ass.

For Dylan Sparks and Reese Carroll, the big day can’t arrive soon enough. Dylan, stressed to the max from overbearing mothers and last minute preparations, struggles to keep her sanity. As for Reese, he’s fighting to not only keep his bride-to-be safe from creepy investors, but also to make it to the actual wedding day without losing his mind in the process.

Throw in a crazy group of friends, and a bachelor/bachelorette party weekend getaway, and you have a recipe for the sweetest wedding of the year.

Reese Carroll and Dylan Sparks cordially invite you to read Sweet Possession.

MY REVIEW: 

 If there was an award for authors who knew exactly how to establish character connection, J. Daniels deserves the crown. The instant Reese and Dylan met, there weren't sparks. Sparks are for teenagers, love. When they met, there were fucking pyrotechnics and some really loud sexy music.

Going to her ex-boyfriend's wedding wasn't something that thrilled Dylan into attending. All she wanted was to see how people would react to the cake she made for the wedding, and she was out. But the night turned out to be something she will thank for forever when she fell on the lap of hot and handsome accountant Reese Carroll.

They spoke the same language when it came to relationships: nothing serious except serious fucking. Both of them were extremely attracted to each other so they decided to act on it without getting deeper into a relationship. But there was a problem. They can't seem to get enough. And the moment they took more, they started falling for each other.

Dylan was a sophisticated woman who wasn't exactly interested in a serious relationship. I loved her femininity, I loved how she withheld her feelings and played the woman she thought Reese wanted, but I also loved how she was transparently inlove with the man but denied it with her life for the fear of getting hurt.

Reese Carroll is a total panty-stealer. I swear to God, his royal possessive hotness was written so profoundly yet seemingly effortless. His character was one of the major shiz that got me so glued on the story and also one of the reasons why this book just blew me away. He was hot, beautifully dirty, utterly charming, attractively possessive, and a freaking great boyfriend. How J. Daniels managed to make such a beautiful contradiction work, I don't know. But thank you, J. Daniels. Thank you. My ovaries are dead but thank you.

J. Daniels has done it again, rendered me useless while reading her book. There was just something about her writing style that could suck a reader up into her world and keep her there. Her writing prowess is so interesting and entertaining that you can't seem to spare time to glance at what page you're at and just keep reading and reading and reading. Her secondary characters added up to the story's deliciousness! Juls and and Joey (even Brooke!) were characters that definitely added to my love for this book! They were funny yet sincere, loud but loving, fun-seeking but supportive, my, they could even be our representations of our very own best friends! 

Although I was completely satisfied with the first book and didn't actually need a whole book of a supposed-epilogue, I still enjoyed reading Sweet Possession. In this book, Reese and Dylan were "suffering" from waiting for the wedding day. I love that Miss J. Daniels took the liberty of writing about what happens after the book's happily-ever-after. That a love story doesn't really end up with just the proposal of marriage but goes way beyond that. Sweet Possession took me deeper into Dylan and Reese's relationship and I reveled on the mixed sensation and tension of the story. I loved Reese more in Sweet Possession. He was definitely destined to become my husband...I mean Dylan's husband ;)

I don't usually like books that has a lot of sex scenes but this steamy read has a core story and characters that a lover of sexy contemporary romance would totally love. It was sensual, sexual, wild, tame, hot, tender read with a tinge of angst and a whole bunch of romance!

Book Review: All I Want (Alabama Summer #2) by J. Daniels

SYNOPSIS:

Luke Evans is a heartbreaker.
I didn’t want to give mine to him. Not when he kept me out.
He gave me enough, just enough to make me fall in love with him. I say this to convince myself. But I know the truth.
I would’ve fallen in love with him at a distance.
Handing my heart over to Luke was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I was naive when I wished for more, when I hoped he wanted the same things I did.
I try to hate him. I try to forget him.
But it’s not that easy.
Love is a ruthless bitch, and I’m her latest victim.

Tessa Kelly is a man-eater.
When she sets her sights on you, she doesn’t just consume your heart, she goes for your soul.
What we had was perfect, real, and all I would ever want.
But she destroyed it.
She destroyed us.
I try to hate her. I try to forget her.
But it’s not that easy.
Love is for people who have hope, and I have none.

 

MY REVIEW:

I totally love this one better than the first book! J. Daniels knows how to keep a reader entertained because the moment I read it, I was glued. The tug and release happening between Luke and Tessa has kept me turning pages, anticipating the time when both of them will finally succumb to their real feelings...well, at least most of that should come from Luke.

I liked Tessa on Ben and Mia’s story but I saw her there as a happy-go-lucky, careless, and a girl who just wants to have fun. But in this story, I found a deeper woman in her. A woman who wants to settle down, have babies, and be loved back by the man she loved with the same honesty and intensity that she had for him. Tessa turned out to be a very relatable character. In Where I Belong, there was a side story there that Tessa thought she was pregnant with Luke’s baby and broke up with him when he admitted that he didn’t want a family. In All I Want, she struggles with the need to forget the man she loved, thinking sex with other guys will set her feelings for him free. Nice try, love, but even I can’t forget Luke Hot Cop Evans.

Luke Evans has been in hell for 12 years caused by his mother’s death and how his father used alcohol as a means of coping. He never added relationships to that set of burden. Not until he met Tessa. He was smart enough to know she was something special and important in his life but he wasn’t stupid enough to drag her into that dump-of-a-life he had. And the only solution he thought was to prevent her from getting into his life. He wanted out but the problem was, Tessa wanted in.

The pain and resistance between Luke and Tessa was what really kept me glued. Miss Daniels’ writing is so precise but light. It states exactly what feelings are like that at some point, I could really feel Tessa’s pain and found myself hurting and crying with her. There were many times when I found Luke unreasonable and wanted to hit him with a rock so he would see logic! Because dammit, Tessa deserved all of him because she gave all of her! See how affected I am?

I think this book would suit those who love a mix of sweet romance and something that sizzles. It has the right amount of hotness to be considered a contemporary adult romance but the romance was sweet and light that I think young adults will also enjoy. J. Daniels is a new writer I will definitely look out for!

Book Review: Where I Belong (Alabama Summer #1) by J. Daniels

SYNOPSIS:

When Mia Corelli returns to Alabama for a summer of fun with her childhood best friend, Tessa, there's only one thing keeping her on edge. One person that she’d do anything to avoid.

Benjamin Kelly. World’s biggest dickhead.

Mia hates him with a fury and has no desire to ever see him again. When she decides to start her summer off with a bang and finally give away her v-card, she unknowingly hands it over to the one guy that excelled at making her life miserable, learning a valuable lesson in the process.

Always get the name of the guy you’re going home with.

Ben can’t get the girl he spent one night with out of his head. When she leaves him the next morning, he thinks he’ll never see her again. Until he sees her lounging by the pool with his sister.

Mia is determined to hate Ben, even though she can’t forget him.

Ben is determined to prove he’s not the same guy he used to be.

What happens when the one person you wish never existed becomes the one person you can’t imagine being without?

MY REVIEW:

 

This book is a sweet and light read that tugs at heart strings. Mia was Ben Kelly’s younger sister Tessa’s bestfriend. They were mortal nemesis when they were kids and were set to hate each other forever. Mia had to leave town at some point until years later, she was convinced by her aunt that she should spend a longer summer with Tessa. On her way to Tessa’s, she met a hot and sweet stranger and decided to give him her virginity on a supposed one night stand as a sign of her quest towards a fun life. That one-night stand turned out to be "nine-inch amazing" and Mia will forever remember that night with him. But there was a problem. The stranger was named Ben Kelly.

Individually, Mia and Ben are interesting characters. Mia was an epitome of a good girl. She’s serious in life and takes care of her dying mother religiously, causing her to neglect her own happiness. Ben, on the other hand, was a hot cop who had his share of fun and wild in his life. Together, they spark two of my favourite kinds of couples in a romance novel—bad boy meets good girl and enemies turned lovers. Whether they hated and loved each other, I enjoyed the intensity of Ben and Mia’s connection. Even when they were sparring with words, I totally felt the spark between them. There was just this certain assurance and an unspoken love that was exclusive between the two of them. I praise the writer’s ability to sustain and even escalate that spark until the end of the book!

In all honesty, there was little intrigue at the start of the story because it was quite a predictable circumstance (I kinda saw it coming that the one night stand would be Ben). However, as the story progresses into a sweet, easygoing rhythm, I found myself thoroughly enjoying. The secondary characters are also fun and interesting! Miss Daniels certainly know how to keep the readers interested and anticipating the stories of the other characters. Tessa is Mia's best friend and Ben's younger sister. She's an honest and happy-go-lucky girl whose in a complicated love-hate relationship with hot cop/ Ben's best friend Luke whose a total douche until Tessa rattled more than his body. Reed, a character I am definitely excited in meeting, is a playboy but is a really great and caring friends. And just when I thought I couldn’t get more hooked, Little Sir Nolan appeared on the scene. I have a softness towards kids in stories and I definitely liked him!

The spark between Ben and Mia wasn't immediately felt but it progressed into a sweet dance of courtship until it reached a deeper point of love. It wasn't a mind-blowing read but it's definitely romantic and captivating. It's a fast-paced light read that will awaken tender emotions of familial love, friendship, acceptance, and a whole lot of romance.